Best Practices for Video Conferencing

April 29, 2020

Due to the current circumstances regarding the pandemic, we are all trying to navigate staying connected with our peers, friends and family while maintaining social distancing. Thankfully, video conferencing is a widely available solution and we all have a variety of set ups, and workstations whether it be in our home offices or, quite frankly, our dining room tables.

We rounded out some of the best tips for making the most out of your next video conference:

• Sit close to the screen so that your face fills most of it.
• When you’re not speaking you should mute yourself to prevent distracting background noise.
• Just because you’re on mute doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be engaged. Acknowledge who’s speaking and the topics being covered with a simple nod and smile.
• Avoid other distractions like eating during the meeting or walking, talking or playing with your webcam when the conference has started. Try to remain in one place for the duration.
• Don’t sit with the window behind you as the light casts a dark shadow on your face.
• When you’re talking, remember to go slow. We all know with technology can sometimes come lagging or freezing.
• Don’t overthink the setup. Everyone is in this same unique situation for the time being. If your setup is less than ideal or your child or pet interrupt, don’t sweat it – we are all trying and making the best of what we can.

There are lots of good platforms to choose from right now whether it be Zoom, Skype, GoToWebinar, Microsoft Teams, etc. Find which platform works best for you and your team and commit to it!